"We must strike now! The loss of an entire city has just been brought upon us. Either we act now, or we sit here, and wait for them to do it again! I cannot accept us to do nothing.

We have 18 Battle Cruisers in orbit as protection. In the next week, our orbit near Planet 'A' will be as close as it will ever be. That should be our next move. Wipe out their home-moon before they launch another attack."

The Council listened intently to the Generals words, nodding their head in agreement.

"We have heard enough from you. Thank you, you may go."

At that moment the front doors flew open, with a shocked Grunt running in. "Prophets! The Humans just launched another bomb on 'H'. About 12 thousand dead."

The General nodded his head, "You see? They've already begun again."

The Prophet lifted his hand. "I know, I know. I'm putting you in Command of the battle fleet General Maron. See to it that ever Human on that moon is dead."

Location: Island (HALO)Year: 2551

The Chief looked around intently to find whatever was stalking him, slowly moving his sight on foot after foot of his view.

"I know you're out here." He said, more to himself than anyone.

"I never left you."

The voice came from behind him, and then in front of him. It seemed to be everywhere.

"You must be the Elite from the Covenant Cruiser. I should have known you wouldn't give up your search for me so easily."

While the Chief spoke to the Invisible Elite, he suddenly spotted a warp in the air, about 10 feet in front of him. Not to seem suspicious, he kept looking around.

"You killed my whole family." The Elite said again with more anger.

"How can you stand there and think that your hands aren't covered with just as much blood. How may I ask did your family get to 'C'? As I recall, it belonged to us first. Then you invaded."

"ENOUGH!" The Elite said. "I will have no more of your lies Human. You were asking for evacuation over that primitive radio of yours? Here it is." He said as a Covenant Drop ship entered the atmosphere.

"You think one Drop Ship will stop me? I've killed enough Covenant to fill a thousand of those, as you so quaintly mentioned."

The Elite chuckled. "You think I only asked for one Drop Ship? How little you know of my genius."

A second Drop Ship was just entering, and then a third, and a fourth. "You sent four Drop Ships just for me? Why am I so important." He whispered to himself.

The Elite answered Marks rhetorical question, "We don't plan to kill you dear Mark. We have much more important ideas for how to use you."

Mark could take no more, and began firing a barrage of bullets at the Elite. The shields dropped quickly, and Mark charged the Elite with a fury. He beat the Elite over the head again and again, until the Elite's head began to convulse inward.

Mark stopped and looked at his hands, the purple blood covering them. He stopped to think about what the Elite had said. He was a menace to himself. The four Drip Ships landed, each carrying eight Elites.

"I surrender." He said, laying down his gun.

Location: Swamp (HALO)Year: 2550

Collins was analyzing the body for hours, finding the Human form had been mutated into a zombie. "Who or what the hell made you?"

Then it all sunk in. He had destroyed the locked door. Whatever had done this to the Human, could now escape. What had he done?

"I'm afraid I can't let you leave." Came a British sounding voice.

Collins lifted his AR and looked around. "Oh, you silly creature. There is no need to become agitated." It said.

A Blue robot came from the elevator shaft, and slowly floated to Collins. " I am 356 Guilty Spark. I am the monitor of this instillation. I assume you are Sergeant James Collins?"

Collins was speechless. "How... how do you know my name?"

The blue ball chuckled, "I have close ties with the UNSC. When your species was excavating this place, we had an unusual encounter. The Flood had escaped, just as you have done now."

"The... the Flood?"

"You cannot leave." Is all 356 could say.

Location: Covenant Cruiser 'Gaza'Year: 2551

Baker and his team were slowly but steadily making their way towards the Bridge. "Lieutenant, ETA?" Baker asked.

"This things going to blow in about three minutes. The Bridge is right in her.." The Lieutenant said before looking up, finding the doors blasted open.

"Looks like someone already cleared the place out." Baker said, walking over two mangled Jackals. "The controls are right here."

Walking up the ramp, the only control pad that was online was the countdown timer, slowly counting from 50 seconds.

"Lieutenant..." Baker said with agitation in his voice.

"I'm workin' on it, give me a sec. Covenant security codes are a bit more complicated than ours. You see, they use..."

"While I'm sure their controls are fascinating, I'd really like you to focus!" Baker yelled.

30 seconds...

"Lieutenant!" Baker said angrily.

"Damn, they must have added a new security feature, I'm having trouble overriding it! I... I can't!"

"What the hell do you mean you can't!"? Baker screamed, pushing the Lieutenant out of the way.

20 Seconds...

"It's all jammed. We can't stop the countdown!" Baker said, slamming the Holo-Panel.

"But.. but sir! We're just about to enter Planet 'A' atmosphere. If we blow then everyone on the surface will..."

"I'm PERFECTLY aware of that Private." Over the radio, "Echo 523, this is Sergeant Baker. Mission unsuccessful. Contact the High Command on 'A' and tell them to order a moon-wide alert. This things blowin..."